There are many known types of pocket organizers, wallets, billfolds and similar receptacles that are designed to keep items such as credit and identification cards, paper money and the like in an orderly, compact arrangement while carried within a clothing pocket. Furthermore, wallets and carriers that incorporate multiple functions are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,372 to Santilli describes a unique wallet for carrying a plurality of cards.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,948 to Brissette describes a wallet sized to fit folded into the breast pocket of a jacket for use by pari-mutuel bettors to organize their cash and notes and pari-mutuel tickets. The wallet contains two identical pockets for separating betting cash from winning cash, three identical slots for storing purchased pari-mutuel tickets arranged one above the other by events, a fourth slot spaced from the other three slots for storing winning tickets, a slot for a pad of notepaper and a sleeve for holding a pen or pencil. However in such a wallet design, it is only the back sheet of a pad of notepaper that is held in the slot and there is provided no retainer to hold the remaining pages flat for easy removal of single sheets or to protect the pad of notepaper from damage as the wallet is opened and closed. Additionally, inclusion of a pad of notepaper in such a wallet substantially increases the bulk and overall thickness of the wallet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,764 to Dyer describes a generally pocket-sized rectangular wallet with one or two outer pockets for carrying folded imprinted sheets of standard size writing paper and a loop for holding a pen or pencil. However, the design of this wallet is such that when the folded sheets of paper are carried in the outside pockets the overall thickness of the wallet is substantially increased resulting in a rather bulky wallet, which while suitable for carrying in a purse, checkbook or the like, is less than ideal for carrying in a clothing pocket
U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,349 to Gribovsky describes a billfold having a pocket that permits currency to be placed therein in an unfolded orientation and a pocket sized to receive a standard checkbook. The checkbook pocket also has a retaining strap attached thereto to receive a portion of the checkbook and to substantially prevent the checkbook from moving laterally in the pocket, however the surface of the checks are protected by the checkbook and not by any function of the billfold. Furthermore this billfold has no provision for a writing instrument and a protected paper pad integrated therein.
U.S. Design Pat. D523473 to Regala depicts a pocketable note holder with an attached means for holding a writing instrument. However, this device design does not depict a means of retaining and/or securing the writing paper nor does it depict means for any additional carrying functions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,519 to Kaplan describes a note pad holder with integrated writing instrument comprising a rigid molded plastic box with a hinged lid to hold a pad of paper and a writing instrument. However, such a device is designed to perform a single function and offers no provision for carrying paper money, credit cards and the like. Furthermore, since this box device is fabricated from a rigid material such as molded rigid plastic it lacks suitability to be comfortably carried in a clothing pocket.
Therefore, in light of the known art there exists a need for a multifunctional billfold or wallet comprising means to receive and carry credit cards, identification cards, paper money and the like while having a protected paper pad and a writing utensil integrated therein and wherein the billfold or wallet maintains a slim and compact profile when in use. There also exists a need for a billfold or wallet comprising a means for carrying a protected notepad wherein single sheets can be easily removed without the disturbing the notepad as a whole. Embodiments of the present invention address these and other needs.